Extensible carpet stretcher



May 30, 1939 w. A. FANNING EXTENSIBLE CARPET STRETCHER Filed Feb. 5, 1957 a WZZLM [auf @wwwa/,L

Patented May 3Q, 1939 UNETED STATES PTEN? GFiflCE EXTENSIBLE CARPET STRETCHER Application February 3, i937, Serial No. 123,818

1 Claim.

'Ille principal object of this invention is to provide an improved extensible pole carpet stretcher which is easy to use, can be put together and taken apart quickly, makes up into 5 a compact portable bundle when not in use, and

is inexpensive to manufacture.

Other more specific objects and advantages will be evident to those skilled in the art upon a full understanding of the construction, arrangement and cooperation oi the parts forming the improved stretcher.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is presented herein by way of exemp-liiication, but it will of course be appreciated that the invention is susceptible of embodiment in other structural- 1y modied forms coming equally within the scope of the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the stretcher, showing the way in which the same is intended to be used in laying a piece of carpet;

Fig. 2 is a partially sectioned side View of the extensible pole, in contracted condition, with the blade removed;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the blade;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side View of the stretcher, showing in section the joints between certain of the parts;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a short longitudinal section through the pole, near one end, with the pole in contracted condition;

Fig. '7 is a transverse section, taken on the line I-'I of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is another short longitudinal section through the pole, with the pole extended.

As will be observed in the drawing, the carpet stretcher consists of an extensible pole I@ and a blade II. In laying a width of carpet I2, one end of the pole Il) is placed against the baseboard I3 at one side of the room, where the carpet has already been tacked down; the pole is extended to whatever length may be necessary; the teeth Ill in the head I5 of the blade are embedded securely in the pile of the carpet adjacent the loose edge of the latter; and the small end of the pole is raised and placed in slightly angular abutment with the end of an extension rod I6 on'the arm I'I of the blade, all as shown in Fig. 1. When downward pressure is now applied to the stretcher at the abutting ends of the pole and blade, the head I5 of the blade will move toward the baseboard I8, carrying with it the edge of the carpet,

which movement will act to stretch the carpet tight.

'Ihe extensible pole I0 consists of several snugly telescoping metal tubes I9, 29, ZI, 22 and 23. Five tubes are shown in the drawing but more or less obviously may be employed. When the tubes are fully telescoped into each other, as shown in Fig. 2, their ends will project out just far enough to permit them to be easily grasped. The largest tube I9 forms one end of the pole and is provided with a thrust block 24. The block 24 projects a short distance from one end of the tube and is adapted to have a small piece of carpet 25 tacked thereto, to serve as a pad for cushioned engagement with the lower part of the baseboard I3. This block may be held in place by means of a pin 2S.

Each of the tubes with the exception of the smallest tube 23, is provided with a longitudinally extending row of apertures 2l, and each of the tubes with the exception of the largest tube I9, is provided with a locking device 28 for selective ccaction with any of the apertures 21 in the surrounding tube. These locking ydevices 28 are contained within the inner ends of the tubes and are characterized by outwardly spring-pressed buttons 29 which are disposed within apertures in the sides of the tubes in which they are mounted. The buttons 29 are formed on slides 3G which are in turn mounted on guide pins 3l, and the slides 30 are provided with studs 32 about which compressed springs 33 are positioned. The outer ends of the buttons 29 are rounded, so that when a button which is locking two of the tubes together is depressed to a point ush with the surface of the outer tube any longitudinal pressure applied against the inner tube will cause the button to cam back into an inoperative position and release the tubes from each other. The extent to which the tubes can be telescoped into each other is determined by the position of stops in the tubes, the stop in the largest tube being the inner end of the thrust block 2li, and the stops in the other tubes being cross pins 34.

To extend the pole to any desired length, it is merely necessary to pull out the tubes, one after the other, commencing with the second largest tube 2li, and turn each tube until the locking button in that tube snaps through a conveniently located aperture in the surrounding tube. The smallest tube 23 is ordinarily pulled out only when the greatest possible length is needed. To adjust the pole to just the right length, one of the intermediate apertures 2l is used. As soon as the pole has been extended to the desired length it is ready to be fitted to the blade.

The blade II consists of the previously mentioned head I5, to which is detachably secured a plate 35. The plate 35 carries the carpet-engaging teeth I4, which project forwardly and downwardly from the plate at an angle of about 45. The plate 35 is detachably fastened to the head I5 by means of screws 35. The arm I'I on the head I5 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the center of the head at an angle of about 15. The arm Il' is provided at its rear end with a square inwardly tapering socket 3'! into which a correspondingly shaped projection 38 on one end of the extension rod I6 is adapted to be wedged. The other end of the rod I'S terminates in a flat annular surface 39 for abutment with the end of the smallest tube 23. A stud 40 on the end of the extension rod I6 at the center of the surface 39 is loosely socketed in the end of the tube 23, and acts to maintain the members in end-to-end abutment. The rod IB is provided above the stud 40 with a shield-like projection 4I which overlies the joint between the members and provides a convenient surface against which to apply hand pressure downwardly in operating the stretcher.

I claim:

In a carpet stretcher, an extensible pole having a socket in one end characterized by an annular rim, and a blade having a stud at one end thereof for insertion in the rimmed socket in the pole when the latter is arranged in end-to-end relation to the blade in substantially the same vertical plane, whereby to provide an axially separable articulated joint between the members, said stud on the blade tting the socket in the pole in any circumferentially turned position of the pole, whereby to permit the blade to be readily assembled with the pole in end-to-end relation to the latter regardless of in what position the pole happens to be turned.

WILBUR A. FANNING. 

